KILGOROUND
BILL WOODALL

WHAT PROMPTS A change as radical as the name change from Rangoon, Burma to Yangon, Myanmar? I remember when Peking became Beijing. Why is it that cities like Dallas or Detroit don't change their names? If we decide to change their names, we recommend Swampisi for what is now Houston and Hottern for the city you and I now call Dallas.

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IT'S HARD to believe that row-cropping agriculture does not dominate this part of East Texas. It's astonishing that we don't plant and harvest commercially viable crops of wheat, soybean and corn - given that renters and landlords downtown can grow such impressive weed crops in the smallest cracks in sidewalks.

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CHAMBER of Commerce president Mike Coston was certainly all smiles this week after the Texas Highways magazine articles about Kilgore, the derricks and the Country

Tavern.

WORD'S out that most of the locally-available copies have been sold. in the interest of historic preservation, we're holding onto our copy. But, we'd like for the rest of you to send your copy to a potential visitor from out of town.

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THOSE Merritts sure know how to feed.

ANY month that the company's sales exceed a stated target, the whole crew at Merritt Tool Company gets steak for lunch. If they exceed the next target, they get shrimp with their steak. The meal's catered by Fowler's Meat Market.

THAT'S a pretty good employee benefit.

FRIDAY, when we were invited to help the crew celebrate A.P. Merritt's recent award - Small-Businessperson of the Year for the regional Small Business Administration - was a steak and shrimp day. It was enough to make me grateful for the Merritt Tool sales effort.

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BUT before they got their steak, shrimp and baked potato Friday, the Merritt Tool crew had to sit through presentations from Congressman Louie Gohmert, County Judge Bill Stoudt, Chamber executive Mike Coston, city councilman Harvey McClendon and Bill Adamson, the president of Kilgore Economic Development Corporation. And, of course, State Rep. Tommy Merritt.

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HAPPY birthday today, Sunday, to Johnny Palmer, Daniela Spirova, Candace Lanicek, Gail Mumphrey, Mrs. Jerry W. Covington, Nelwyn Collum, Sandra Freeman Piper, David Williams, B.D. Sorrell, Becky VanMeter, Oletha Mitchell, Dorothea Stone, Betty M. Hines, Alma Brown, Rosemary Dorman, Jim Griffin, Norma Hernandez, Bernita Carr, Susan Metcalf, Charles Blalock, Wendy Shankles, Joe Riddick, Amber Fields, Cody Meritt Sullivan, Bettye Croddock, Kaylon Jackson, Joe Lewis Reddic Jr.

CELEBRATING wedding anniversaries today are James and Charlotte Taylor, Stanley and Gloria Williams, Mike and Kay Owens, Mr. and Mrs. Billy Ray Williams.

HAPPY birthday Monday George Faber Sr., Dale Watson, Timothy Stewart, Jerry Dyess, Jerome Chambliss, Kristi Kinsey, Bo Kirk, Kelly Munch, Bryan Mercer, Mrs. Robert Funderburk, Mrs. W.S. Brown, Saushia McDonald, Spencer Alexander Henson, Adrianna Mitchell, Gavin Swanson, Cami Bundrick, Antonetta Morgan

HAPPY anniversary Monday to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Sherrod.